Vehicle ladder apparatus



April 25, 1961 H. J. TROCHE 2,981,362

VEHICLE LADDER APPARATUS Filed May 11, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. HERMFIN J. Taocua F162 BY 75x2 am fillies I 1v),

ATTORNEYS April 25, 1961 H. J. TROCHE VEHICLE LADDER APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 11, 1959 INVENTOR.

Harman J. Taocus 7 l/m l flluu 5 E524 ATTORNEYS ladder to the desired height.

2,981,362 VEHIAICLE LADDER APPARATUS Herman J. Troche, Fairview Park, Ohio, assignor to lgolan Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of bio Filed May 11, 1959, Ser. No. 812,244

8 Claims. (Cl. 182-46) This invention relates to ladder apparatus of the type adapted for use on a utility class of vehicle, and particularly wherein the ladder is of the extendable kind, and is tiltable in transverse planes relative to the vehicle, as well as being rotatable with respect to the vehicle.

It is known in the art to provide a utility class of vehicle having an extendable, tiltable and rotatable ladder mounted thereon. Such ladder apparatus conventionally comprises a lower section and one or more upper sections, all of which are mounted telescopically with respect to one another, for extension and retraction of the The lower section of the ladder is rotatable mounted with respect to the supporting vehicle, and the entire ladder assembly is mounted on the vehicle body for swinging movements to any desired angle in a vertical plane within its operating range.

When such a vehicle and associated ladder assembly is used for its primary purpose, or in other words so as to provide access to traffic lights, street lamps, overhead power lines, and the like, for installation, maintenance and repair thereof, high voltage electricity is commonly encountered, which presents a hazardous condition for working personnel on the ladder. Accordingly, such ladders are conventionally made of wood, or at least a portion thereof is made of wood, to provide insulation of the ladder assembly from the ground. Such wood ladder assemblies are relatively heavy in relation to their size, require considerable maintenance and inspection to insure the safety of the same and also conventionally comprise attached cable or rod type hand rails or supports, for enabling a workman to readily climb up and down the ladder. Such hand rail structure may or may not embody insulators to further protect the workmen against the hazard of electrical shock.

The present invention provides a ladder for use in the above environmental setting which is comprised of nonelectrical conducting, comparatively high strength and light weight material, such as for instance, fiber glass material, suitably combined with resinous material, such as polyester or epoxy type resins, to form the ladder side structure, and embodying rung members extending between and connected to such side structure to form the complete ladder and wherein hand rail structure is formed integrally with the side structure of the ladder proper and is of the same material as such side structure, to provide a unitary arrangement which not only considerably increases the strength of the ladder, but also facilitates the manufacture assembly and shipping thereof, and practically eliminates the necessity of maintenance on the ladder, thereby resulting in a more economically desirable and useable ladder for the purposes specified.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide an improved ladder construction particularly adapted for use with a utility class of vehicle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ladder of the above type in which at least the side structure thereof is formed of non-electrical conducting, relatively high strength, lightweight material, such as fiber glass atet 2,981,362 Patented Apr. 25, 1961 A further object of the invention is to provide a ladderof the above type which is readily manufactured, easily shipped and handled, has relatively high strength characteristics in proportion to its size and weight, and requires a minimum of maintenance thereon and inspection thereof, for the period of its service life.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a rear view of a motor vehicle having aerial ladder apparatus constructed in accordance withthe invention, and illustrating the ladder, extended in a working position.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the vehicle and ladder assembly of Fig. 1, illustrating the ladder in its carried position on the vehicle.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of one of the ladder sections of the ladder apparatus of Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the ladder section illustrated in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an end elevational view of the ladder section of Figs. 3 and 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary, vertical sectional view of one of the side portions of the ladder section taken substantially along line 66 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary,'horizontal section of one of the side portions of the ladder section taken along the plane of line 77 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary, horizontal section -of one of the side portions of the ladder section, taken along the plane of line 88 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged, side elevational view of one of the rungs of the ladder.

Fig. 10 is a vertical, sectional view taken substantially along the plane of line Iii-10 of Fig. 9, looking in the direction of the arrows.

view of certain of the side structure elements of a pair of ladder sections constructed in accordance with the invention and in assembled operating relation with respect to one another, and is taken substantially along the plane of line 1111 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 11 in particular illustrates the supported relation of the upper ladder section on the rungs of the lower ladder section, with the molded side rail structure and associated integrally molded hand rail structure of the lower ladder section serving as a guide for the telescoping, longitudinal movement of the upper ladder section with respect to the lower ladder section, during extension and retraction of the ladder apparatus.

Referring now to Fig. 1 of the drawings, there is shown a motor vehicle having a truck body portion 10, with an aerial ladder 12, operatively supported in working position thereon to provide access to some overhead object or otherwise, in carried position as shown in Fig. 2. The ladder assembly is of the well known extendable type, comprising in the embodiment illustrated, a pair of relatively movable ladder sections 14 and 16 which coact in telescoping, nesting relation with one another in the customary manner. For purpose of description, the lower ladder section 14 will be referred to as the base ladder section and the upper extensible ladder section 16 will be referred to as the fly section. The base ladder section 14 may have roller assemblies 17 rotatably mounted thereon and adapted for rolling holding coaction with the fly ladder section 16, for retaining the ladder sections in telescoping assembled relation, and as will hereinafter be described in greater detail.

The base section 14 of the ladder apparatus is operatively supported on a column 18 which is optimumly located on the truck body in such manner that the extensible ladder apparatus can be elevated in a vertical .plane, and the entire ladder assembly can be rotated about the vertical axis of column 18, relative to the truck body. The column 18 rotatably supports a sleeve 20 which carries the ladder assembly and a frame carriage 22, such column, sleeve and carriage providing the base mounting for the ladder apparatus and in a manner well known in the art.

The ladder assembly has suitable mechanism for tilting the ladder apparatus in a vertical plane, rotating the ladder apparatus with respect to the vehicle body, and for extending and retracting the upper or fly ladder section with respect to the lower or base ladder section. Such operating mechanism may be manually actuated, or power actuated by suitable motor units, such as for instance, the reciprocal type motor unit 24, illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, and in a manner well known in the art.

Referring now in particular to Figs. 3 to 11, inclusive, of the drawings, in accordance with the invention the ladder sections embody elongated side structure 26, 26a formed from non-electrical conducting, comparatively high strength and light-weight material. A laminated fiber glass construction in combination with suitable resinous material, such as polyester or epoxy type resins of conventional well known types, has been found to be ideally suited for the instant purposes. Such construction material is not only comparatively light in weight, and is non-electrical conducting, but also possesses relatively high strength characteristics per unit cross sectional area, and requires practically no maintenance thereon during use. In addition such fiber glass construction can be readily formed or molded into the desired configuration of ladder side structure and then can be permitted to cure into a finalized high strength rigid structure.

The side structure elements 26, 26a, of a ladder section are connected together by ladder rungs 28 which are, in the embodiment illustrated, fastened at the ends thereof, as by means of nut and bolt fasteners 30, to the inner faces of the side elements 26, 26a, with the head portions 300 of the fasteners disposed in substantially flush relation with the outer surface of the respective side element. A suitable ladder rung possessing optimum strength characteristics has been found to be one formed of metallic material, such as aluminum; such rung material not only possessing suflicient strength but contributing to the relative lightness of the ladder assembly. Such rungs are provided at their outer ends with apertured flange portions 28a for convenient connection, as by means of the aforementioned fasteners 30 to the side elements 26, 26a of the ladder section. The upper surface of each of the rungs is preferably provided with lengthwise extending ridges 29 for increasing the sureness of a workmens footing on the ladder rungs, such ridges being preferably of the rounded configuration illustrated.

Each of the side structure elements 26, 26a of a ladder section comprises a lower side rail portion 32 of generally inwardly facing channel-shaped configuration with such configuration defining an outer side wall 34, and upper and lower wall portions 36 and 38 respectively. The lower wall portion 38 presents a substantially flat, continuous bearing surface 40 for use in at least the fly ladder section 16, for conveniently mounting such upper or fly ladder section in sliding relation on the lower or base ladder section, as in the ladder assembly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. Longitudinally spaced, vertically extending ribs 41 (Figs. 3, 4 and 8) are provided extending between upper and lower wall portions 36 and 38 and connected to the latter and side wall portion 34, for ridgidifying and strengthening the side structure 26, 26a of the ladder. It will be seen that with the afore-discussed material of which side structure members 26, 26a are comprised, ribs 41 may be readily formed integrally with the side rail portions 32 of such members in a unitary high strength arrangement.

At the inner end 42 of the upper wall portion 36, an upstanding flange or side web 46 is provided which in the embodiment illustrated, extends vertically a greater distance than does the outer side wall portion 34 of the underlying ladder side rail portion 32, to provide the proper height of hand rail construction for workmen ascending or descending the ladder assembly. At the upper end of flange portion 46, an outwardly extending flange 48 is provided, for gripping by the hands of the workmen using the ladder. It will be seen that the upper hand rail portion 47 of the ladder side elements 26, 26a forms in effect an outwardly facing channel-shaped structure, with the hand rail portion 47 being integrally formed with the lower side rail portion 32, of the side structure of the ladder, to form a unitary structure possessing optimum strength characteristics. Accordingly, it will be seen that the side structure 26, 26a of the ladder section is in effect provided by superimposing an outwardly facing channel-shaped hand rail portion 47 on an underlying inwardly facing channel-shaped side rail portion 32, with such portions being formed into a unitary arrangement, and with a vertical section through side structure 26 being of generally 8 shaped configuration when looking in the direction of the arrows of line 6-6 of Fig. 4, and with a vertical section through side structure 26a being of a generally reversed S shaped configuration when looking in the same direction as above. It will also be seen from Fig. 6 that the side extremities of the hand rail portion 47 may be co-planar with the side extremities of the underlying side rail portion 32, of the respective side structure member 26, 26a.

The outer face of flange 46 of the hand rail portion 47 is provided with a plurality of spaced, generally vertically extending strengthening columns 50 which do not project outwardly the full transverse width of the underlying top wall or flange 36 of the side rail portion 32, but instead are terminated considerably inwardly of the outer edge 52 of such top wall, and as can be best seen from Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings. The outer ends of the hand rail portions 47 of the side structure 26, 26a of the ladder apparatus are tapered downwardly as at 54, (Fig. 4), commencing substantially at the strengthening columns 50, and merge with the outermost ends of the ladder side rail portions 32 in a smooth curve, as generally indicated at 56, with such outer ends of the side rail portions 32 being provided with end walls 58 capping the ends of the side rail portions 32 of the ladder section.

The upper face 60 of top wall 36 of side rail portion 32 provides a continuous trackway running substantially the full length 'of the respective side structure of the ladder, for coaction with the aforementioned rollers 17 on the lower ladder section 14, and thus hold the upper and lower ladder sections 14 and 16 in telescoping, assembled relation during tilting of the ladder assembly. It will be seen that the strengthening columns 50 do not interfere in any manner with the retraction and extension of the fly ladder section 16 with respect to the base ladder section 14 during adjustment of the ladder height and movement of fly section 16 with respect to the roller assemblies 17 on base section 14 of the ladder.

Referring now to Fig. 11, the fly ladder section 16 is mounted directly on the rungs of the base ladder section 14, for telescopic movement with respect thereto, with the bottom bearing faces 40 of the side rail portions 32 of the fly section 16 mounted in sliding relation on the rungs 28 of the base ladder section. The hand rail portion 47 of the base ladder section 14 and especially the inner face 62 of flange portion 46 thereof is disposed in confronting and closely spaced relation to the outer face 64 of the side rail portion 32 of the fly ladder section 16 to thereby guide the fly section during telescopic movement of the latter with respect to the base section. The hand rail flange 48 of the upper or fly ladder section 16, may be extended into overlapping relation with the base ladder section 14, as shown in Fig. l l at 66 to provide a definite abutment for engagement with the upper end of the base ladder section to positively limit the amount of inward telescoping movement of the fly section into the base section. It will be understood of course, that the other stop means, many of'which are known in the art, could be utilized instead of the above to limit retraction of the fly ladder section into the base ladder section.

From the foregoing description and accompanying drawings it will be seen that the invention provides an improved ladder construction for ladder apparatus particularly adapted for use on a utility class of vehicle, and

one providing a highdegree of protection against electrical shock hazards, as well as providing a ladder construction of optimum strength relative to its weight and size, and wherein handrail portions are formed integrally with the side rail portions of the ladder construction in a unitary arrangement, which not only facilitates the manufacturing, handling and shipping of the ladder, but also materially increases the aforementioned strength characteristics thereof, and practically eliminates the necessity of maintenance thereon.

The terms and expressions which have been used are terms of description and not of limitation and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of any of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

I claim:

1. An aerial ladder of the type for mounting on a utility class of vehicle for swinging movement in a vertical plane, said ladder comprising side structure of electrical insulating relatively high strength material, such as fiberglass combined with a suitable resin, said side structure defining a pair of spaced elongated ladder side members, each of said members defining a lower side rail portion and an upper hand rail portion integrally formed with said side rail portion, said side rail portion being of an inwardly facing channel-shaped configuration in vertical section and said hand rail portion being of an outwardly facing channel-shaped configuration in vertical section, said hand rail portion being superimposed on said side rail portion whereby one of said members is of generally 8 shaped configuration in vertical section and the other of said members is of reversed S shaped configuration in vertical section looking in the same direction, and rung members extending between said side rail portions of said members and being connected thereto.

2. An aerial ladder in accordance with claim 1 wherein said outwardly facing channel-shaped hand rail portion has a plurality of lengthwise spaced vertical columns extending between the upper and .lower flanges thereof, said columns being integrally formed with the side web of said channel shaped hand rail portion and merging integrally with said upper and lower flanges of said last mentioned portion, each of columns being of a lesser transverse width than the transverse width of said upper 6 6 ate said ribs and being connected at their outer ends to said side web of the respective of said members.

4. An aerial ladder in accordance with claim 3 wherein said rungs are formed from a light-weight metallic material, such as aluminum, said rungs having flange portions on the outer ends thereof, said flange portions being apertured with such apertures being axially aligned with complementary apertures in the respective of said side webs, and headed fastener means extending through said apertures to secure said rungs to said side webs, the heads of said fastener means being disposed substantially flush with the outer face of the respective of said side webs.

5. In a tiltable and extensible ladder assembly for mounting on a utility class of vehicle and including a base ladder section and an extensible fly ladder section, each of said ladder sections having a pair of parallel side structure members interconnected by a plurality of rungs, the dimension between the side structure members of said base section being greater than the same dimension of said fly section to permit nesting and telescoping relation of the fly section between the side structure members of said base section, said side structure members of said ladder sections being comprised of electrical insulating, relatively high strength material, such as fiberglass in combination with a suitable resin, each of said side structure members defining a lower side rail portion and an upper hand rail portion integrally formed with said side rail portion as a unit, said side rail portion being of an in wardly facing channel-shaped configuration in vertical section and said hand rail portion being of an outwardly facing channel-shaped configuration in vertical section, said hand rail portion being superimposed in integrally formed relation on said side rail portion whereby one of said members of each of said ladder sections is of gen erally S shaped configuration and the other member is of reversed S shaped configuration in vertical section, looking in the same direction, said rungs extending between and being connected to the side rail portions of the respective of said ladder sections, said fly ladder section engaging and being supported on at least certain of the rungs of said base ladder section, said side rail portions of said fly ladder section being disposed in closely spaced, parallel extending relation to the inner face of the respective of said hand rail portions of said base ladder section, whereby said fly ladder section is guided in its telescoping movement with respect to said base ladder section by said hand rail portions of said base ladder section, each of said channel-shaped hand rail portions of said fly ladder section providing an upwardly facing lengthwise extending trackway thereon, and roller means rotatably mounted on said base ladder section and coacting with said trackway on the adjacent of said hand rail portions of said fly ladder section to maintain said ladder sections in assembled, telescoping relation.

6. vIn a tiltable and extensible ladder assembly in accordance with claim 5 wherein the outer ends of said hand rail portions of each of said ladder sections are sloped downwardly to merge with the outer ends of the respective underlying side rail portions.

7. In an aerial ladder of the type for mounting on a utility class of vehicle, said ladder comprising spaced elongated side members of electrical insulating, relatively high strength material, such as fiberglass combined with a suitable resin, each of said side members comprising a lower side rail portion and an upper hand rail portion integrally formed with said side rail portion, said side rail portion being of inwardly facing channel shaped configuration in transverse vertical section and said hand rail portion being of outwardly facing channel-shaped configuration in vertical section, and including a vertical web extending upwardly from said side rail portion and presenting a substantially flat inwardly facing surface disposed in coplanar relation with the contiguous inwardly facing extremity of the underlying side rail portion, and rung members extending between said side rail portions of said members and being connected thereto.

8. In a tiltable and extensible ladder assembly for mounting on a utility class of vehicle and including a base ladder section and an extensible fly ladder section, each of said ladder sections having a pair of parallel side structure members interconnected by a plurality of parallel rungs, the dimension between the side structure members of said base section being greater than the same dimension of said fly section to permit nesting and telescoping relation of the fly section between the side structure members of said base section, said side structure members of said ladder sections being comprised of electrical insulating, relatively high strength material, such as fiberglass combined with a suitable resin, each of said side ladder structure members comprising a lower side rail portion and an upper hand rail portion integrally formed with said side rail portion as a unit, said side rail portion being of an inwardly facing channel-shaped configuration in transverse vertical section, said hand rail portion being of an outwardly facing channel-shaped configuration in vertical section and including a vertical web extending upwardly from said side rail portion and presenting a substantially fiat inwardly facing surface disposed in generally coplanar relation with the contiguous inwardly facing extremity of the underlying side rail portion, said rungs extending between and being connected to the side rail portions of the respective of said ladder sections, said fly ladder section engaging and being supported on at least certain of the rungs of said base ladder section, each side rail portion of said fiy ladder section being disposed in closely spaced, parallel extending relation to said inwardly facing fiat surface on the respective hand rail portion of said base ladder section, whereby said fly ladder section is guided in its telescoping movement with respect to said base ladder section by said hand rail portions of said base ladder section, and means on said base ladder section co acting with said fly ladder section to maintain said ladder sections in assembled telescoping relation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,037,860 Hummel Apr. 21, 1936 2,096,514 Havens Oct. 19, 1937 2,588,959 Campbell Mar. 11, 1952 2,792,164 Cauffiel May 14, 1957 2,862,650 Scott Dec. 2, 1958 2,885,132 Campbell May 5, 1959 2,936,848 H-all May 17, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 654,321 Great Britain June 13, 1951 

